


The Metamorphosis

by ACuckoo



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-16
Updated: 2014-07-16
Packaged: 2018-02-09 02:06:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1964832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ACuckoo/pseuds/ACuckoo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur is fond of a rather interesting book, one that his lover, Kiku, simply can't appreciate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Metamorphosis

The tea didn’t take long to brew, and once it was done Kiku inhaled the delicious sent of the bold earl grey. The taste was one he had to get used to. His lover found the stuff irresistible, but it had taken some time for Kiku to adjust to the strong flavors and even the amount of caffeine it carried. But now, he was just as obsessed with earl grey as Arthur was.   
Kiku carefully poured each of them a cup. The weather outside was dreary, dark, and wet. It was such a stark contrast from the weather in Japan. Very rarely did Kiku ever see the sun when he visited England. The tea wasn’t the only thing he needed to get used to when visiting this country. At first the weather made him depressed. He had no problems with rain at all, but having it constantly there, day and night, all year around was something that he didn’t think he could ever get used to. He found the air of the country melancholic. It was terrible.   
But just as he got used to the strong, bold taste of earl grey tea, he got used to the dark, cold weather of England. Eventually, he came to find comfort in the rain and dark clouds. Days like today were perfect for curling by a fire, drinking tea, and reading a book with his lover.   
He went to the study with tea and tiny cakes on a tray. There he found his lover exactly as he expected to find him. Arthur was sitting comfortably on a couch in front of a large fire reading a book. Kiku smiled as he went over to him, set down the tray, and gave him a kiss on his forehead.   
“Hello, love,” Arthur said, looking up from his book as Kiku approached him. “And how are you doing?”   
“I’m fine.” Kiku sat down next to Arthur and partook in the little cakes that they both loved so much. “What are you reading?” The study itself held many, many books, most of them Kiku had never read before. He enjoyed looking around and indulging in the stories of a culture completely different from his own. The book that Arthur held in his hands now was a small one, one of the smallest Kiku had ever seen him hold. It was a flat, flimsy paperback, and Kiku leaned over to read the title of it.   
“The Metamorphosis?”   
“That’s right,” Arthur answered. “By Franz Kafka. Admittedly, I’ve read it before, but I quite enjoy it. It’s a curious story; one I’ve never quite been able to figure out myself.”  
“Really? Sounds confusing.”  
“I suppose it is. Kafka’s works can be a bit confusing.” Arthur looked over the cover and the summary on the back as he spoke. “They’re very strange, but then again he was a very strange man.”   
“I’ve never heard of him before. Is he popular?”   
“He has a fanbase, I think. I’m sure one or two of his works are read in schools these days, but not much. I discovered him on accident. It was this story that attracted me to him actually. I don’t much think you’ll like it.”   
“Why? I am open-minded.” Kiku’s voice rose a bit as he took offense to Arthur’s statement. He pouted and crossed his arms over his chest as he peeked at the small novel, though the words were too small for him to read at that distance.   
“I’m not saying that, love. I’m just saying I don’t think you’ll enjoy this particular story.”   
“Why?”   
“It’s about a giant cockroach.”   
“WHAT???”  
“NANI???”  
Arthur laughed as he teased the other man and he only laughed harder at the unamused look he was given. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry, darling! I couldn’t resist. You just looked so shocked! I didn’t quite expect that reaction from you.”   
“Why are you reading a book about a big cockroach?! How sickening!” Kiku ignored the way he was being laughed at. He was more interested in finding out why such a book even existed.   
Arthur’s laughs slowly dwindled down until they were just giggles. Still, as upset as Kiku was, he couldn’t keep himself from smiling. The whole situation was just too funny for him. “It’s interesting, that’s why. I like it.”   
“But… A cockroach?? A big one?? That’s the entirety of the story??”   
“Well, I wouldn’t say that.”   
“What do you mean?” Kiku always found his curiosity to be of the morbid type. Just like how he would indulge in terrifying video games only to go running and screaming from his room during the particularly scary parts, he couldn’t help but want to know more about this strange book. “So it’s not about a giant cockroach?”   
“Oh, it is. But it’s also about a man. The man who turned into the cockroach.”   
“WHAT??”  
“NANI??”  
“Arthur, stop!”   
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry, dear, sometimes you’re just too cute.” He leaned over to give Kiku a kiss on the cheek in hopes of easing his anger. “I told you you wouldn’t like the story. It’s about a man who woke up one morning and found himself to be a cockroach.”  
“He… He’s the same size? He didn’t shrink?”   
“Nope. It’s a man-sized cockroach.”   
Arthur watched as Kiku’s face grew pale and wondered if he should perhaps end the conversation. He knew how Kiku felt about cockroaches, and knew he wouldn’t remotely enjoy the book he was reading. It was interesting to him, but to Kiku… It was a nightmare come true.   
“So big….” Kiku mumbled, leaning against the couch as if he were about to pass out.   
“It would be a large roach. I feel bad for the poor fellow. You know what he thought when he woke up and found himself a roach? ‘How am I supposed to get to work today?’ That’s what went through his head.”   
“Really? He didn’t care at all that he was cockroach?”   
“Oh, he cared. But he didn’t have time to think about all that. He had to get to work.” Arthur chuckled as he read the next few paragraphs in the story while Kiku calmed down. It felt wrong to go into even mild detail about this story. Kiku was the last person who needed to hear anything about cockroaches, but… The opportunity presented itself so perfectly. Now there was nothing else to talk about except cockroaches.   
“I would lose my mind. Imagine waking up one morning… Your legs are gone. Your chest is gone. You have this huge shell and six legs and… Ugh….” He sank deeper into the couch, looking more green than pale now. Arthur quickly put down his book and grabbed his lover in a hug.   
“You poor thing. You’ve gone and made yourself sick. Come, have some tea.”   
“I don’t want any.”   
“Yes, you do. Come on. Drink up.”   
Arthur served tea to his suddenly sick lover. It seemed to help as the color slowly started to return to his face. He had learned his lesson; Arthur would never even so much as speak to Kiku about cockroaches ever again, especially when it came to people turning into the little things.


End file.
